Chapter 13 : Protector Pair (Paire Cosantora)

Before Diana knew it, it had been a whole month since she'd enrolled at Realta Ban. It was a lot of hard work getting up-to-date with her studies and on top of that, she'd taken up a number of extra-curricular activities. She was often seen poring over books in a corner of the students common-room that Aletheia had introduced her to. The South tower was divided into four sections of sleeping quarters for the four houses . The common-room was at the bottom of the South tower - a large circular room, the size of a hall, with comfy black pouffes, divans and armchairs scattered around tables occupied most of the time by students doing homework or playing board-games or simply lazing about talking. Like all the other rooms of the castle, it was temperature controlled according to the weather outside and had motion-sensored glass balls on the ceiling that lit up when someone stood or sat under them.

To Diana's extreme surprise, she found that she liked Realta Ban. She liked that she wasn't singled out due to her magic, she liked the interesting lessons that pushed the limits of her powers, she liked that there were so many new things to learn and ......... she liked her new acquaintances. Ordinary, (or as ordinary as it is for elves), un-enchanted, fun-loving people who were with her of their own volition. How surprising! Despite her earlier promise to herself, she could feel the temptation to open up to them, to take a step in the direction of friendship. She kept a wary eye on herself - she didn't want a repeat of the Sally episode. As people started getting used to her being a fairy, the turning heads and the eager following eyes reduced till they all got accustomed to her. Just another student at school, they thought. Or at least, most of them did. Bella-Beinve and her two plastic dolls who always agreed with whatever she said, still managed to find taunts to fling on Diana whenever she got a chance. She was still angry about the flying incident and was convinced that it was Diana's fault that she got detention from Herdir Faun. Adriano, who fawned around her constantly, was the only one who nodded sympathetically when she returned from detention grumbling about physical work being child abuse.

The end of September escorted a cool breeze and transformed the colours of the leaves on the grounds into fiery reds, oranges and browns. The palace began buzzing with excited talk about the upcoming festival. "The Lux festival marks the end of harvest and is celebrated in honour of the goddess Terr'ane," explained Aletheia while they were having lunch in the dining hall. Once again, the only person absent was Silvanus. At first, Diana had worried that he was avoiding meals in the Dining Hall because of her, for she had searched the other tables and never found him. She felt so horrible at the thought of him having solitary meals in his room that she had asked Aletheia about it, breaking her own rule about never speaking of him.

"He always eats with the Queen and the courtiers in the Royal Dining room of the East tower," said Aletheia as they were walking back to the common room.

"Oh."

"The Queen reckons that his involvement with the courtiers would help him 'understand their work better.'" She snorted. "She just wants to make sure that they favour him when he becomes king. My dear step-mother is the biggest suck-up of this kingdom."

"How was your step-father?" Diana asked quietly.

Aletheia sighed. "Father was wonderful. He loved the kingdom and he loved us. Even the Queen was nicer when he was alive. He saved my life, you know." Aletheia was looking past Diana, lost in thought. "When the davizae attacked, Ravel was the first to fall. My house was burning..... I was trapped in my room........ the stairs were on fire.... then I saw him climbing up the stairs, wading through the blaze......... he was trailing an enormous wave of earth that extinguished the fire.... He brought me to the palace... treated me like his own daughter. No matter how busy he was, what with the calamities of the war, Father always made time for both of us."

"I'm sorry." Diana said giving Aletheia's arm a gentle squeeze.

Gale, a tall, burly ninth year, walked by them as they reached the entrance of the common room smiling mischievously at the girls with a roll of paper clutched in his hand. He pinned the paper to the notice-board and was immediately surrounded by a swarm of Annuis all peering and craning their necks trying to see the notice. The girls fought through the crowd with Aletheia yelling ''xcuse nin! 'xcuse nin!" till they were in front of the notice-board.

Annui Equineox team

Gale, son of Godol - Jockey - Team Captain

Coretin, son of Hal - Blocker

Selena, daughter of Iris - Blocker

Diana, daughter of Celestia - Jockey

Silvanus, son of Talish - Jockey

"Whooohooooo!! You got in! You got in! I told you, you did great at the try-outs!!" Aletheia whooped loudly engulfing Diana in a bear hug. "Guys! Guys! She got in!" Arion and the others joined in the cheering and Diana found herself getting thumped in the back by several students.

Diana was happy that she'd made the team, but she couldn't ignore the jolt that went through her when she looked at the last name in the list.

How am I supposed to avoid him now?

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The next day in Ancient Arts, Hiril Apolla announced that they would be starting rehearsals for the Annual Day musical.

"This year we would be putting up the story of our beloved Queen Snow and King Rowan - the War of the Two Worlds. I would like each of you to lay the groundwork by going through the history in War and Peace - History of Earth and Allohara before you make a move on the script. As always, you are all welcome to pick any of the arts but remember that the lead characters would need to be able sing and dance." Hiril Taira suddenly appeared bouncing with excitement, her bright purple dress flying. "Who's ready to put up the love story of the millennia?!!!" Hiril Apolla sighed, forcing a smile. "Hiril Taira would be helping us with the drama practices."

"Planning to audition for the play?" asked Arion as they were walking out of the art room.

"I don't know. I love acting but ............ just think of the amount of stuff I've taken up....."

"You could go for the art department."

"Ha! And drown the sets in colours?" Hiril Apolla had complimented Diana on her sketch of a sunset a couple of classes ago. Pleased, she had set about painting them with water-colours. Let's just say that in the end it looked like the sea had drowned into the sun in that sunset. Diana had stuck to sketches since then.

"Maybe I'll try the choir. That's not too much work and I can still be part of the play."

"Thinking of playing Queen Snow, are you?" Bella-Beinve's sneering voice was right behind them. "I don't think you'd qualify........ you see, Queen Snow had class and you do not."

"Get lost Bella!" Arion's voice was loud enough to make everyone in the corridor stop and stare.

"Oooo your boyfriend doesn't seem to mind your pathetic looks...... How silly of me! I should've known it wouldn't matter to him........ what with him being blind and all." She glanced contemptuously at Arion's thick glasses.

"BELLA!" Diana's hand was raised in defiance. Her pulse was pounding in her ears but before she could do anything, Hiril Cirilla came stomping out of a classroom to the right. "No magic in the corridors! Black mark to Annui! Scatter all of you! And you......" She turned to look venomously at Diana. "Put one toe out of line, fairy, and I will relish punishing you..........."

Bella stalked away in the opposite direction. Diana was so tempted to give Cirilla a piece of her mind but Arion pulled her away and led her through a maze of corridors. "That git! One of these days, I'm going to get her!" Arion didn't try to find out whether Diana was talking about Bella or Cirilla.

"Where are you taking me, Arion?" asked Diana once her anger had faded a bit, but in a second the answer was right in front of her.

"Oh no no no."

The librarian, Madame Eustacia threw her an annoyed look over her square spectacles and raised one finger to her lips.

Arion led her straight to the History section. "You can't let her get the role of Queen Snow! You need to audition." Arion found War and Peace - History of Earth and Allohara and thrust it into her hand. "C'mon Diana! You're a fairy. If anyone should play Queen Snow, it should be you."

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She had agreed whole-heartedly with Arion in the library but began to regret it as soon as she saw the mountain of work piled up in her room. The essay on dwarf rebellions for Hiril Taira lay unfinished on her desk, beside which were three books that Hiril Nadia had asked them to read in preparation for the invisibility spell. She had not even started researching magnetic components and their uses for Hiril Cirilla.

Late at night, after going through most of her homework, Diana lay on her bed with War and Peace propped open on her pillow. She thumbed through the index, delighted to discover that there was a summary at the end of the book. With a tired glance at the clock that hung below an engraved bougainvillea, she started to read.

Summary:

It is widely known that the Paire Cosantora have existed since the time of the elder magae in the universe. Blessed by Terr'ane herself, they are born to restore balance to the universe thrown into chaos. Born under the eclipse of the twin planets, the Paire Cosantora connect at first touch, bound by the ancient magic of matter. They each have their own purpose bound inextricably with the other's.

The Zareh holds the destiny of annihilating the cause of imbalance, for only from ruins would a new world arise. The Avedis fulfills the purpose of righting the scale of balance with the expansion of virtue. The Zareh would also be fulfilling the role of the Protector's Protector, bound by heart and mind, in death and life, to the Avedis. The Zareh and the Avedis, the Destroyer of Evil and the Protector of Good, walk the living world when their need arises in a universe plunged into disorder.

Among the great philosophers, rulers and warriors who have held the mantle of the Cosantora, none are considered greater than Queen Snow, the fairy of ice and King Rowan, the sorcerer of earth, the last Cosantora to have graced the universe and created the haven of Allohara.

During the civil war of Earth, the Cosantora were united, as their undying love led them to victory over evil. The wrath of the Zareh, King Rowan, laid waste the usurper's army consumed by the dark forces of desire. Queen Snow, the Avedis, embraced her kingdom and ruled justly for many years with King Rowan by her side, believing whole-heartedly that their destiny had been fulfilled. But it was just the first battle in a long war.

As the humans grew in number, the persecution of the magical populace escalated. Exposure transformed into a threat that no amount of memory modifications could contain. The human specie advanced on all the seven continents of Earth, murdering, pillaging, plundering magical life till the death toll reached unprecedented heights. Wars broke out. Davizae burned at the stake, elven settlements were reduced to ashes, fairies had to abandon their land; fire and death ruled Earth. Devastation forced the magical creatures to flee but there was nowhere to go.

The Avedis uttered the incantation that echoed through the universe and the sacred planet of Allohara answered like a blessing from Terr'ane. But the promise of safety required a sacrifice of love. Queen Snow extinguished her life force and ignited tairseach portals all over the earth, lighting the path to freedom for the oppressed magical folk. King Rowan established a new way of life in the virgin land of Allohara. A decade later, his destiny fulfilled, the Zareh left the universe to join his beloved in death, leaving his daughter as the Queen of Alfaeran.

Though Queen Snow is revered for the sacrifice of her life, it is to King Rowan that we owe our world. For the pain of death may one bear for moments. But the pain of loss had to be borne for years.

The End.